Convertible vehicle

Abstract

For a convertible vehicle with a top, which can be locked to the windshield frame, for which at least one movable handle is provided for carrying out the locking and unlocking, the handle can be transferred from its operating position, in which it is accessible to a movement, which brings about the locking or unlocking of the top, into an inoperative position, which is located essentially vertically upwards from the operating position, in which it is in an area, which does not limit the head freedom. When the handle in the inoperative position is lowered into a recess formed between lining parts, a flush closure of the handle with the lining parts can be attained.

What we claim is:  
     
       1. Apparatus for locking a convertible top of a vehicle with a windshield frame of the vehicle comprising a handle, a handle support supporting said handle on said convertible top for movement between an operable position and an inoperable position, said handle when in said operable position being accessible to the motor vehicle operator to effect locking and unlocking of the top to the windshield frame, said handle when in said inoperable position being displaced substantially vertically and linearly upwardly from said operable position. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim  1  wherein said convertible top has a lining part having a recess, said handle being disposed substantially in said recess when said handle is in said inoperable position. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim  2  wherein said recess is a generally inverted cup-shaped recess having an opening facing substantially downwardly. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus for locking a convertible top of a vehicle with a windshield frame of the vehicle comprising a handle, a handle support supporting said handle for movement between an operable position and an inoperable position, said handle when in said operable position being accessible to the motor vehicle operator to effect locking and unlocking of the top to the windshield frame, said handle when in said inoperable position being displaced substantially vertically upwardly from said operable position, said handle including a first elongate structural part, said handle support including a second elongate structural part, said first and second elongate structural parts being longitudinally aligned and disposed to provide relative longitudinal movement between said first and second elongate structural parts, each of said elongate structural parts having linking grooves and a moveable linking body disposed in said linking grooves for linking the relative movement between said first and second elongate structural parts. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus for locking a convertible top of a vehicle with a windshield frame of the vehicle comprising a handle, a handle support supporting said handle for movement between an operable position and an inoperable position, said handle when in said operable position being accessible to the motor vehicle operator to effect locking and unlocking of the top to the windshield frame, said handle when in said inoperable position being displaced substantially vertically upwardly from said operable position, said handle including a first elongate structural part, said handle support including a second elongate structural part, said first and second elongate structural parts being longitudinally aligned and disposed to provide relative longitudinal movement between said first and second elongate structural parts, one of said elongate structural parts includes a first linking groove, the other of said elongate structural parts including a second linking groove having at least one portion extending generally in a vertical direction, and a moveable linking body disposed in said first and second linking grooves. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus for locking a convertible top of a vehicle with a windshield frame of the vehicle comprising a handle, a handle support supporting said handle on said convertible top for movement between an operable position and an inoperable position, said handle when in said operable position being accessible to the motor vehicle operator to effect locking and unlocking of the top to the windshield frame, said handle when in said inoperable position being displaced substantially vertically upwardly from said operable position, said handle including a first elongate structural part, said handle support including a second elongate structural part, said first and second elongate structural parts being longitudinally aligned and disposed to provide for relative longitudinal movement between said first and second elongate structural parts, said first and second elongate parts having one relative longitudinal position when said handle is in said operable position, said first and second elongate parts having another relative longitudinal position longitudinally spaced from said one relative longitudinal position when said handle is in said inoperable position. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim  6  wherein each of said elongate structural parts has linking guides and a moveable linking body disposed in said linking guides for linking the relative movement between said first and second elongate structural parts. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to claim  7  wherein said linking guides are grooves in said first and second elongate structural parts. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim  8  wherein said moveable linking body is a spherical ball. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to claim  7  wherein the linking guide on one of said elongate structural parts is an annular groove, the linking guide on the other of said elongate structural parts is a groove having at least one groove part substantially vertically disposed. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus according to claim  10  wherein the linking guide groove in said other of said elongate structural members has a generally heart-shaped configuration having two equilibrium sections, said moveable linking body when in one of said equilibrium sections determining the operable position of the handle, said moveable linking body when in the other of said equilibrium sections determining the inoperable position of the handle. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus according to claim  6  further comprising a biasing device disposed between said first and second elongate structural parts for biasing said handle towards said operable position. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus according to claim  6  wherein said first elongate structural part is a sleeve and said second elongate structural part is an elongate element fixed to said handle and slidable in said sleeve. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus according to claim  6  wherein said first elongate structural part is a sleeve fixed to said handle and said second elongate structural part is an elongate element slidable in said sleeve. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus according to claim  6  wherein one of said elongate structural parts includes a first linking groove, said first linking groove being an annular ring groove, the other of said elongate structural parts including a second linking groove having at least one portion extending generally in a vertical direction, and a moveable linking body disposed in said first and second linking grooves when said handle is in said operable and inoperable positions and when said handle is moved between said operable and inoperable positions. 
     
     
       16. Apparatus according to claim  15  wherein said one elongate structural part is said first elongate structural part, said first elongate structural part being fixed to said handle, said handle being rotatable relative to said second elongate structural part as said moveable linking body moves in said annular ring groove. 
     
     
       17. Apparatus according to claim  10  wherein said linking guide groove in said other of said structural members includes a first and second equilibrium sections and an intermediate section, said moveable linking body being in said first equilibrium section when said handle is in said inoperable position, said moveable linking body being in said second equilibrium position when said handle is in said operable position, said moveable linking body moving from said first equilibrium position to said intermediate position and then to said second equilibrium position when said handle is moved from said inoperable position to said operable position, said other structural member being an elongate structural member having an elongate axis, said first equilibrium section, said second equilibrium section and said intermediate section of said linking groove being longitudinally spaced from one another along said elongate axis, said first equilibrium section being disposed between said second equilibrium section and said intermediate section along said elongate axis. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for locking a convertible top of a vehicle with a windshield frame of the vehicle comprising a handle, a handle support supporting said handle on said convertible top for movement between an operable position and an inoperable position, said handle when in said operable position being accessible to the motor vehicle operator to effect locking and unlocking of the top to the windshield frame, said handle support including biasing means biasing said handle towards said operable position, said handle when in said inoperable position being displaced substantially vertically upwardly from said operable position. 
     
     
       19. Apparatus for locking a convertible top of a vehicle with a windshield frame of the vehicle comprising a handle, a handle support supporting said handle on said convertible top for movement between an operable position and an inoperable position, said handle when in said operable position being accessible to the motor vehicle operator to effect locking and unlocking of the top to the windshield frame, said handle when in said inoperable position being displaced substantially vertically upwardly from said operable position, said handle being operable to be moved from its inoperable position to its operable position by application of a vertical upwardly directed force applied to the handle by the motor vehicle operator.